Press button



Oct. 26 1926. 1,604,819

- A. c. GAYNOR. 7

PRESS BUTTON Filed Dec. 22, 1922 YT" uss \w sgy y INVENTOR ART/10R C. GA I/NOR. 1

ATTORNEY it will twist and warp out of shape.

purpose of the present invention is to so sup- Patented @et. 26, 1926.

units s'r'rss V teeters M lt;

r rsnr PRESS BUTTON.

Application filed December My invention relates to improved press buttons so mounted as to make an electrical contact thus closing a circuit to sound an alarm, or for analogous purposes.

It is well known that it is necessary to insert a device of this kind in places which are exposed to the elements of the weather. lVhen the slab of insulating material which carries the terminals becomes wet or frelz pn portand hold the slab of insulating mater'al upon its seat that the danger of warping and consequently its dislodgment from its seat will be reduced to a minimum.

The principal objects of the invention are therefore to provide a simple and inexpensive rigid structure provided with a floating metallic bridge carrying the insulated terminals. the ends of the bridge being held by spring action to the circumference of the dome shaped covering element and the insulation for the terminals being closely seated upon. and held to the metallic bridge, the parts being so related to each other as to be readily assembled and disassembled, and when assembled, to always provide for true and efficient electrical contact.

()ther objects will appear from the following description and claims.

Referring to the drawings which form a part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the upper face of the press button structure embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. lis a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the floating bridge structure carrying the terminals in elevation and in a position of removal from the dome structure.

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of one side of the bridge structure carrying; the insulating slab.

6 is a view in perspective of the opposite side of the device shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in section showing the end of the bridge structure in co-operative engagement with the inside of the periphery of the dome supporting structure.

The press buttons are made in a number of designs, rectangular, round and oval, and so forth, with all manner of filigree work on the exp sed faces, but in the interest of Serial No. 608,442.

clearness I have shown in the drawings a smooth round dome shaped structure. The dome shaped cover is provided with a dome portion 2 and a flange portion i, the latter being providedwith a securing opening 6 therein and a central opening 8 within which rcciprocates under spring pressure the metallic push button 10. i

A vertically disposed flange 12 extends downwardly from the periphery of the flange portion 4 and at diametrically opposite points therein are pressed-in lips 14 and 16 under which is sprung the ends 18 audit) of the bridge element 20, the respective ends being provided with notches 21 and 22 within whichthe lips 1% and 16 enter and engage.

The bridge portion 20 is also provided with openings 24 and 25 through which the terminal screws pass with a central raised portion 26 against which one end of the spring S is placed for guidance and with oppositely disposed fingers 27 and 28 for engaging the sides of an insulating slab I and holding the same to the underside of the bent-up portion 30 of the bridge 20. Screw terminals T and T are secured to the slab I by screwing them into previously made holes, thus making their own screwthreaded engagement, the inner ends of the screw terminals being in position to be engaged by the flange 11 of the metal button 10 when the button is pressed down by the operator, thus closing the circuit of the wires and W in order to sound an alarm, or for other analogous purposes.

The metal elements are pressed up in the ordinary way by pressing metal sheets of the proper size over steel domes in order to bring about the formation desired, all of which is well understood by the metal worker.

As changes of construction could be made within the scope of my invention, it is. intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the type described which comprises a dome shaped cover having a central opening and a flange at its outer edge, a metallic bridge member extending across and beneath said cover and secured ilii at each end to opposite sides of said flange, an insulating slab closely fitting the lower face of the said bridge member, terminals mounted in said slab and projecting into said dome, said bridge member having edge portions bent to engage With the respective edges of the insulating slab and to hold said insulating slab closely to its seat-on the said bridge member, and a spring pressed push button mounted centrally of the dome and arranged to make an electrical contact with said terminals.

2. A device of the type described which comprises a rigid bridge member having an insulating slab mounted on the lower side of said bridge member, fingers on said bridge member engaging the sides of the said insulating slab, and a pair of con tact terminals mounted on and extending through said insulating slab and through openings in said bridge member, said terminals being insulated from each other.

3. A device of the type described which comprises, a dome shaped cover having a central opening and a flange at its outer ed e, a narrow metallic bridge member eX- tending across and beneathsaid cover from opposite sides of said edge flange and secured to said flange, said bridge member being raised slightly into said dome, an insulating slab on the lower face of the raised portion of said bridge member, cont-act screws in said slab projecting into said dome, said bridge member having portions cut and bent to secure said slab to said bridge and to space said contact screws from said bridge member, and a push button in the central opening of said dome member.

at. In a device of the type described, a bridge member having end flanges at right angles to the surface of said bridge member and having notches in said flanges, and having a central raised portion, an insulating slab mounted on the lower side of said raised portion, fingers on said bridge n1ember engaging the sides of said insulating slab, and a pair of contact terminals mounted on, and extending through said insulating slab and through openings in said bridge member and insulated from each other.

v5. In a device of the type described, a bridge member having end flanges at right angles to the surface of said bridge, a raised portion having a central hump a pair oi openings and a pair of depending fingers, an insulating slab mounted on the underside ot said raised portion "and held by said de pending fingers, said insulating slab having screw threaded openings concentric with the openings in the raised portion of said bridge and contact screws threaded in the openings in said insulating slab and extending through the openings in said bridge member without contact therewith.

Signed this 21st day of December, 1922.

ARTHUR C. GAYNOR. 

